School Gardening Competition: Carton 2 Garden

School Gardening Competition: Carton 2 Garden

Evergreen Packaging, with support from KidsGardening.org, announced Monday the launch of Carton 2 Garden, a nation-wide competition that gives students a hands-on experience in repurposing empty cartons to build or enhance their school garden.

Schools from across the United States can compete to win prize packages, valued up to $2,500, by repurposing their empty milk and juice cartons in their school gardens, which will be judged based on creativity and sustainability.

Four national winners and 16 regional winners will be chosen. The deadline for submissions is April 22, 2015.

The contest promotes good nutritional habits among school children while also emphasizing the positive environmental impact of sustainable packaging. You can visit Carton 2 Garden for additional details and official contest rules.

“Incorporating milk cartons into school gardens not only equips students with an economical and easy-to-come by resource for improving their gardens, but also gives them a valuable lesson in reusing and recycling,” said Jennifer Tedeschi, chief operations officer at KidsGardening.org.

With this initiative, Evergreen Packaging aims to raise awareness about the importance of eco-friendly packaging. More than 70 percent of every carton is made from paper, which comes from a renewable resource—trees.

Additionally, cartons protect the product inside from UV rays to help keep contents fresh, and are recyclable for more than 50 percent of households across the country, where facilities exist.

KidsGardening.org is a resource of the National Gardening Association, a nonprofit organization based in Williston, VT. Their mission is to empower every generation to lead healthier lives, build stronger communities, and encourage environmental stewardship through educational gardening programs.